Banning the addition of nitrates to sausage products in France

On Wednesday 26 January 2022, the French Economic Affairs Committee investigated and then adopted a law aimed at progressively banning nitrate additives in sausage products. The bill was adopted at the meeting on February 3, 2022. The French parliament has approved a law aimed at progressively limiting the use of nitrite in sausages and has ordered a review of potential health risks by the end of June 2022. Nitrite salts are widely used in sausages such as ham, bacon and sausages, they extend the shelf life of processed meats and give cooked ham a pink color. However, a 2015 World Health Organization report classified processed meat as carcinogenic because curing - by adding nitrates or nitrites or smoking - can lead to the formation of potentially carcinogenic compounds. Proposed by an MP from the Modem party - which is part of President Emmanuel Macron's ruling coalition - the new bill has stopped the total ban from 2023, but set a schedule for reducing the use of nitrite. The ...